Poetry Out Loud

About Poetry Out Loud

Poetry Out Loud lifts poetry off the page, creating community and connection. Through this program, high school students across the country participate in a dynamic poetry recitation competition designed to improve their public speaking skills, build confidence, and teach them about literary history and contemporary life. 

Poetry Out Loud begins at the classroom or school level, or at the local level with a sponsoring organization. Students select, memorize and recite poems from the Poetry Out Loud anthology. Results are determined by judges’ scores based on the Poetry Out Loud Evaluation Criteria. Winners of school-wide or organizational contests are invited to compete at the West Virginia State Finals, held in the Norman L. Fagan State Theater at the Culture Center in Charleston. 

In addition to contestants from all over the state reciting poetry, the State Finals event also features guest speakers and celebrated performers. Recent guests include storyteller and Vandalia Award winner Bil Lepp, poets Randi Ward and Doug Van Gundy, USA Fellowship Award winner Aristotle Jones, musician Mary Linscheid, the Rustic Mechanicals Shakespeare Troupe, West Virginia’s poet laureate Marc Harshman, and many others.    

Champions from each US state and territory compete at the National Finals in Washington, D.C. The Poetry Out Loud National Finals awards a total of $50,000 in prizes and stipends to schools or organizations, including a $20,000 award for the National Champion. 

The Poetry Out Loud program provides free lesson plans and other educational materials to teachers and organizers, including an online anthology of classic and contemporary poems. Poetry Out Loud is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with participating state and jurisdictional arts agencies and administered by Mid Atlantic Arts.  

For advice on coordinating an event and questions about classroom, school, and state contests, contact:
James D. Wolfe, Poetry Out Loud Coordinator
West Virginia Department of Tourism, State Capitol Complex
1900 Kanawha Blvd., East
Charleston, WV 25305
James.D.Wolfe@wv.gov
(304) 558-0240

School & Organization Contests

*Teachers use resources from the national website to incorporate standards-based curriculum and hold classroom contests. Winners from classroom contests go on to compete at the school level.

*Schools must hold a contest to select a champion.

*Contests must include at least two students, evaluated by Poetry Out Loud evaluation criteria.

*Students must prepare at least 2 poems to recite at the school or organization contest level.

*Students recite one poem per round.

*Scores from all rounds are added to determine winner.

Registration and Release Forms

*School/Organization Registration Form

*Champion Registration Form

*Runner-Up Registration Form (in case champion is unable to participate in state finals)

*Teacher Registration Form

*Parent Release Form*

Individual Student Registration – If you are a student who did not have access to compete in a school or organization competition, email james.d.wolfe@wv.gov no later than December 11, 2026

Rules and Guidelines

*High school students in grades 9-12 (or 8th grade students in a participating 9-12 class)

*No student may be excluded from participating in Poetry Out Loud on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, or national origin. Schools may determine eligibility for classroom and school level Poetry Out Loud programming pursuant to local and state law. For more information (particularly regarding prize eligibility), visit this page.

*Community organizations may choose to sponsor a POL competition for students who are not participating in a school-based competition.

*Schools or organizations must register at this link by December 11, 2026. 

*Poems must be selected from the Poetry Out Loud Online Anthology.

*Students competing in the State Finals select three poems from the anthology. One of the three must be 25 lines or fewer, and one must be published before 1930. (It is permissible to meet both criteria with one of the three selected poems or in two separate poems.)

*For more details on eligibility rules and other guidance on the competition, visit the national Poetry Out Loud website.